Exterior stairs in poor condition

[Låneslav]

Hello.
In our house that we moved into in February, the exterior stairs are in bad shape. The parts closest to the steps and especially in the corners are falling apart. If you lift the covering stones, there are crumbles underneath them. The last picture shows the underside, and there is a white efflorescence that, as I understand it, may have to do with moisture migration through the stairs to the underside and salt efflorescence.

Is it possible to repair the stairs?
I found a description here, but I don't know if it applies to my problem:

http://www.dinbyggare.se/artiklar/artikel.asp?docid=183

 

[gluecifer]

The DIY magazine has the same report about repairing concrete stairs in about every third issue. Our stairs are kind of solid, but hollow inside and full of moisture. They are starting to crack significantly, and I don't see any way to repair them properly. I'll probably demolish and build entirely new in wood.

When I start picking at the broken parts, I just get further and further in, like sand that crumbles.

 

[Låneslav]

Judging by the number of responses I received, it doesn't seem like there's much chance of getting it sorted out. The searches I do mostly find information about concrete basement stairs, and it doesn’t really feel like it's the same as our problem. I found a product called marmocit that you can cover the stairs with, but it also feels a bit risky to cover bad concrete. Our neighbors say they've been trying for years to find someone who can demolish their stairs so they can build one in wood, but companies don't want to take it on. So, it basically ends with letting the stairs be broken down by nature and starting to use the basement entrance instead. Maybe in 200 years, a new staircase can be built Now I'm also going to go out and fiddle with the stairs and see how much sand I have. I might try to shove some mortar between the stones on the top to at least prevent rainwater from seeping into the construction.

 

[Låneslav]

The long piece with the "shark fin" should be an old repair that has come loose. There is sometimes hard material directly under the capstones and sometimes sand about 3 cm before the hard material. Shouldn't I be able to remove the stones and cast a large slab of concrete, then put the stones back on and everything will be fine? The tricky part should be getting it even enough so there aren't too many gaps between the stones?

 

[Korp-Johan]

Hello loan slave!
You know what?! I think you are right in your worst fears! The stairs are finished and tired! Shorten its suffering and build a new one!
Fixing half-broken just becomes half-good.
Sorry. Johan

 

[trojlee]

I think it can be saved even if a new construction would be preferable. You can drill holes and insert expansion plugs halfway where you're going to mortar in the "kakorna" and also prime the contact surface, that way you get a kind of reinforcement. Then it will stay in place... but it's a bit of a fiddly job. But it doesn't have to cost a lot of money. Then maybe a little plinth paint or something on surfaces that aren't "walking surfaces"?!
Good luck
/
M